Top 10 tech products of 2012 [Pictures]

The iPhone 5 is thinner, lighter and quicker than its predecessors and competitors, and it now features a 4-inch screen. Individually, none of those features is jaw-dropping, but put them together and the iPhone 5 is very impressive.

The iPhone 5 is thinner, lighter and quicker than its predecessors and competitors, and it now features a 4-inch screen. Individually, none of those features is jaw-dropping, but put them together and the iPhone 5 is very impressive. (Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)

Built by LG, Google's flagship smartphone completely sold out in the U.S. within minutes of going on sale on Nov. 13. The Nexus 4 runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2, the latest version of the Google operating system, and features a 4.7-inch screen with a 1,280 by 768 pixel resolution.

Built by LG, Google's flagship smartphone completely sold out in the U.S. within minutes of going on sale on Nov. 13. The Nexus 4 runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2, the latest version of the Google operating system, and features a 4.7-inch screen with a 1,280 by 768 pixel resolution. (Google)

Google's first stab at a large-size tablet is a success. With a starting price of $399 -- $100 less than the iPad -- and a high-resolution, widescreen display, the Nexus 10 has potential to be the first non-iPad tablet you might want to buy.

Google's first stab at a large-size tablet is a success. With a starting price of $399 -- $100 less than the iPad -- and a high-resolution, widescreen display, the Nexus 10 has potential to be the first non-iPad tablet you might want to buy. (Armand Emamdjomeh, Los Angeles Times)

This year was filled lots of great gadgets, ranging from smartphones and tablets to ultra-wide-screen TVs and high-quality headphones. But which tech products were the best of 2012? Here's the list of our favorite new devices. --Los Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times